The Next Level
by Mrs. Son of Coul
Summary: Ariadne and Arthur teamed up as Extractors after their job with Dom was completed. He told her not to construct dreams from memories . . . But what happens when she can't help it? Best served with the track "Don't Think About Elephants" by Hans Zimmer.


Ariadne bolted upright and stared into the wooden doors of an elevator. Her stomach churned; the elevator was descending rapidly. To her left, Arthur smiled at her, his eyes dim from fatigue and worry.

"Welcome to the next level," he said softly.

She stood up stiffly as dried blood flaked off her white shirt. She put her hand over the stained area.

No wound.

"Where are we?"

"We _were _in Nakamura's kitchen, but he caught on to us. I'm not sure where he's put us-"

"But you're the architect for this job!"

He held up a hand.

"I know. That's not the issue now. The issue is we're out of control. His security is just as good as we read it was. We need to get out."

The doors slid open and he turned down the hallway. Ariadne grabbed his arm.

"No, wait . . . I've seen this place before. . ."

"Where?"

A breath.

"With Cobb. On that first job. For Saito. I designed this. This is the hotel."

He turned and took it in.

"You're right." He pointed to the end of the corridor. "That's where that quarterback jumped me." He faced her. "Is this a memory?"

"I don't know. I don't think so."

"Where was your escape?"

"Five corridors over, just past the next one."

Arthur pulled a pistol out and cocked it.

"Follow me, but not too close."

He ran down the hallway. Ariadne followed. Something wasn't right.

_The numbering of the rooms is different than mine-_

Five men turned the corner, not six feet away from them. Two fell before Ariadne heard the shots, one doubled back. The fourth barreled into her, pinning her to the floor.

_Sandpaper carpet . . . ? This isn't a memory . . ._

She kneed him hard as they were suddenly thrown against the ceiling.

Panic froze her blood.

_What are we _in_?_

He threw his hands around her neck and squeezed. She felt the familiar lurch of her stomach and let go of his arms, bracing for the fall.

His eyes widened as they plummeted downwards. She pulled a blade from his belt and gasped as his body fell against her, unmoving. Arthur kicked the fifth guard in the throat and pulled the man off her.

"This isn't a memory. It's-"

"I know. It's different. That means there's probably a failsafe for the elevator. Where's maintenance?"

"At the opposite end of the hallway than the elevator."

He grabbed her forearm, forcing her to keep pace with him as he sprinted past doors, some bearing five-digit designations, others none at all.

There was no door leading into the maintenance closet. They stopped and stared at the holographic display before them.

"Is . . . this isn't a failsafe, is it?"

Arthur shook his head.

"There's a gem on every level, babe. This is what we're after."

"Screw that; will it get the elevator working?"

"I think so."

He touched the screen gently.

Nothing.

Tapped it with a bit more urgency.

Nothing.

"_Arthur!_"

He beat his fist against it.

"I'm trying!"

A spark in the corner of her eye caught her attention; the plug. She dove for it, pulling it against the outlet. The cord pulled back; she realized sweat was snaking down her forehead and into her eyes. She tried to ignore it.

"Now Arthur; I can't hold this forever!"

He frantically typed lines of coding, dropping the pistol on the desk.

"Got it. I just need the Key . . ."

Footfalls in the corridor stole her breath.

The third guard held a machine gun.

She felt the taste of sand and saltwater and leapt up as he aimed it at Arthur.

Ariadne ran towards the desk in what seemed to her plodding, labored strides. She felt the starched texture of his shirt as her arms locked and he felt sideways.

Light exploded to her left.

The flesh of her belly ripped apart.

Bullets hit the metal wall behind her.

She fell to her knees as Arthur screamed.

His voice was muted.

It faded to silence.

He turned towards the corridor and fired.

The guard fell back.

He did not rise.

Thick warm liquid rose up her throat and she heaved as Arthur carried her down the hallway, whispering her name over and over.

The white fluorescents above her seemed to yellow.

She gagged as he placed her on the floor of the elevator.

They shot down, propelled by nothing but nature.

Arthur cupped her face as the lights dimmed, went out.

"Go . . . next . . . level . . ."

She felt control of her body leave her.

Everything became cold and silent.

Ariadne bolted upright and stared into the wooden doors of an elevator. Her stomach churned; the elevator was descending rapidly. To her left, Arthur smiled at her, his eyes dim from fatigue and worry.

"Welcome to the next level," he said softly.

She stood up stiffly as dried blood flaked off her white shirt. She put her hand over the stained area.

No wound.

"Where are we?"

"We _were _in Nakamura's kitchen, but he caught on to us. I'm not sure where he's put us-"

"But you're the architect for this job!"

He held up a hand.

"I know. That's not the issue now. The issue is we're out of control. His security is just as good as we read it was. We need to get out."

The doors slid open and he turned down the hallway. Ariadne grabbed his arm.

"No, wait . . . I've seen this place before. . ."

"Where?"

A breath.

"With Cobb. On that first job. For Saito. I designed this. This is the hotel."

He turned and took it in.

"You're right." He pointed to the end of the corridor. "That's where that quarterback jumped me." He faced her. "Is this a memory?"

"I don't know. I don't think so."

"Where was your escape?"

"Five corridors over, just past the next one."

Arthur pulled a pistol out and cocked it.

"Follow me, but not too close."

He ran down the hallway. Ariadne followed. Something wasn't right.

_The numbering of the rooms is different than mine-_

Five men turned the corner, not six feet away from them. Two fell before Ariadne heard the shots, one doubled back. The fourth barreled into her, pinning her to the floor.

_Sandpaper carpet . . . ? This isn't a memory . . ._

She kneed him hard as they were suddenly thrown against the ceiling.

Panic froze her blood.

_What are we _in_?_

He threw his hands around her neck and squeezed. She felt the familiar lurch of her stomach and let go of his arms, bracing for the fall.

His eyes widened as they plummeted downwards. She pulled a blade from his belt and gasped as his body fell against her, unmoving. Arthur kicked the fifth guard in the throat and pulled the man off her.

"This isn't a memory. It's-"

"I know. It's different. That means there's probably a failsafe for the elevator. Where's maintenance?"

"At the opposite end of the hallway than the elevator."

He grabbed her forearm, forcing her to keep pace with him as he sprinted past doors, some bearing five-digit designations, others none at all.

There was no door leading into the maintenance closet. They stopped and stared at the holographic display before them.

"Is . . . this isn't a failsafe, is it?"

Arthur shook his head.

"There's a gem on every level, babe. This is what we're after."

"Screw that; will it get the elevator working?"

"I think so."

He touched the screen gently.

Nothing.

Tapped it with a bit more urgency.

Nothing.

"_Arthur!_"

He beat his fist against it.

"I'm trying!"

A spark in the corner of her eye caught her attention; the plug. She dove for it, pulling it against the outlet. The cord pulled back; she realized sweat was snaking down her forehead and into her eyes. She tried to ignore it.

"Now Arthur; I can't hold this forever!"

He frantically typed lines of coding, dropping the pistol on the desk.

"Got it. I just need the Key . . ."

Footfalls in the corridor stole her breath.

The third guard held a machine gun.

She felt the taste of sand and saltwater and leapt up as he aimed it at Arthur.

Ariadne ran towards the desk in what seemed to her plodding, labored strides. She felt the starched texture of his shirt as her arms locked and he felt sideways.

Light exploded to her left.

The flesh of her belly ripped apart.

Bullets hit the metal wall behind her.

She fell to her knees as Arthur screamed.

His voice was muted.

It faded to silence.

He turned towards the corridor and fired.

The guard fell back.

He did not rise.

Thick warm liquid rose up her throat and she heaved as Arthur carried her down the hallway, whispering her name over and over.

The white fluorescents above her seemed to yellow.

She gagged as he placed her on the floor of the elevator.

They shot down, propelled by nothing but nature.

Arthur cupped her face as the lights dimmed, went out.

"Go . . . next . . . level . . ."

She felt control of her body leave her.

Everything became cold and silent.


End file.
